The Path of Least Resistance
by Katniss730
Summary: Angela finds out about a development in Booth and Hannah's relationship and confronts him about it. SPOILERS FOR 6x13  based on - hopefully fake - sides that came out .
1. The Path of Least Resistance

A/N: SPOILER ALERT! This is based on (disturbing) sides from 6x13.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Bones_. If I did, we'd all be saying "Hannah who?"

After she heard the news, Angela Montenegro stormed into Booth's office. Without invitation, she sat down in the chair in front of his desk and folded her hands over her swollen stomach.

"You're proposing to Hannah?" Angela hissed.

"What?" Booth asked, wondering how she'd obtained this knowledge.

"Sweets told me that you bought an engagement ring," Angela said near tears.

"Angela, this isn't really any of your business _and _Sweets wasn't supposed to tell anyone."

Angela stood, slamming her palms down on Booth's desk, "None of my business? Sweets was going to tell Brennan, so she wasn't blindsided by the news, but instead, he told me."

"Why would Bones be blindsided?" Booth asked, seeming genuinely confused.

"Oh, I don't know, because for six goddamned years you've been in love with her! Then, you go off to Afghanistan and come back a different person!" Angela shouted angrily.

"I _did not _come back a different person, and yeah, I _was _in love with Bones. She made her feelings quite clear, and I've moved on."

"There are so many things wrong with that statement; I don't even know where to start."

"I don't really have time for this now, Angela," Booth said warily.

"I don't really care," Angela retorted, "You _did_ come back different. I know what happened between you and Bren last spring. Believe me; she did not make her feelings clear. You might be hurting, but that's no excuse for acting like an ass!"

"I think you should leave," Booth growled.

"No! You know, for someone who is supposed to be so perceptive, you are blind to what is right in front of you. Did you really expect Bren to pour her heart out to you? Do even know her?"

"Of course, I do!"

"Then, how can you not see how badly she is hurting?" Angela asked sadly.

Booth searched his mind for a response and could not find one.

"I have been on your side since the beginning. I saw the spark between you and Bren six and a half years ago. I know that she isn't always the easiest person to be friends with, but I love her like a sister," Angela said as her eyes filled with tears.

"I know you do," Booth said quietly.

"I always thought of you as someone who would never hurt her."

"How am I hurting her? Bones is the one who turned me down! So, I had no choice, I had to move on," Booth defended.

"Yeah, well you sure didn't waste any time," Angela sneered.

"I waited for six years! Six years, I waited for her to realize what we could have." Booth shouted.

"Don't you think I know that? And in those six years, she has changed, opened up in a way I didn't think possible. _You_ did that. You showed her that love is worth the risk."

"Bones doesn't believe in love," Booth replied.

"That's just a façade, Booth. Other than the people in the lab, everyone she has ever loved has hurt her badly. God! I never thought I would have to add you to that list!"

"I don't know what you expect me to do, Angela."

"I want you to wake up and see what is going on right in front of you! Newsflash, Special Agent Seeley Booth, Brennan loves you! She came back from Maluku ready to give a relationship with you a chance."

"Then why didn't she contact me for seven months? Why didn't she tell me she changed her mind?"

"I don't know why Bren didn't contact you, or me, I might add. I am sure it would be a hell of a lot easier for her to admit her feelings if you hadn't come back flashing photos of Hannah like some first grader at show and tell. Bren loves you too much to break up your relationship with Hannah, because she thinks you're happy."

"I am happy," Booth retorted, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yeah? If you are so happy, so _in love_ with Hannah, and over Bren, why didn't you tell someone who is supposed to be your closest friend that you were going to ask Hannah to marry you?"

Angela's observation rendered Booth speechless.

"That's what I thought," she said with a sigh, "If you propose to Hannah, you might as well tell Bren that everything you've said in the last six years about love was a lie."

"So, what if Bones does love me?" Booth asked, the words stirring an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach, "How could we have a relationship if she can't admit her feelings for me?"

"Hannah is the path of least resistance," Angela stated.

"Yes. No!" Booth exclaimed.

"I get it, Booth. I really do. Hannah is pretty, funny, and I like her. Being with her is easy; there are no emotional defenses to overcome."

Booth nodded hesitantly.

"But, aren't the best things in life worth fighting for, Booth?" Angela posed.

Booth sighed, swallowing the lump in his throat, "I am tired of fighting."

"Just do me a favor. Let me know before Hannah comes waltzing into the lab wearing your rock on her finger, so I can be there to pick up the pieces of Bren's broken heart."


	2. Second Chances

**A/N: SPOILER ALERT! This is based on sides from 6x13. **

**Thank you for all the reviews for the first chapter! This is going to be a three or four chapter story.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Bones**_**. If I did, we'd all be saying "Hannah who?"**

Angela stormed out of Booth's office as quickly as she'd stormed in, leaving Booth to contemplate what she'd said. He pulled the small, black velvet box out of his pocket and looked at the ring inside. Everything Angela had said was true, every last word.

There was only what part of the conversation that's veracity he questioned. Had Bones really changed her mind? Booth thought back over the last several months. What was it she'd said when he had asked if she'd met anyone special – after commenting that she'd met many special people then realizing that he was referring to "sexual intercourse"? Bones had said something about not having the inclination. Since when did Bones, who'd been known to "date" two men at one time, not have the inclination to have sex?

God! It was there right in front of him from that very first conversation when they returned. He'd been too blinded by this hurt to see it. The two voices that had said "You're welcome" to his thank you for the phone; the sad expression when he reached for Hannah's hand across the table; it was right in front him the whole time. Angela may have prevented him from making the biggest mistake of his life. Booth had to know the truth, and he had to hear it from Bones.

He pressed the speed dial on his phone; Bones still held the first slot, after voicemail.

"Brennan."

"Hey, Bones. I was hoping that we could grab some dinner at the diner in say an hour?"

"I am very busy, Booth. I don't think I can," Bones replied.

"Please, Bones, it's important. Besides, you have to eat."

Bones smiled, it had been a long time since Booth had dragged her out of the Jeffersonian for a meal.

"Fine. I'll see you in an hour," Bones said.

"Great, thanks, Bones," said a relieved Booth.

"Booth?"

"Yeah?"

"Is everything okay?"

Booth wasn't quite sure how to respond, but said, "Yeah, everything's fine. I just need to talk to you."

"Oh, okay. I'll see you soon," Bones said.

Booth arrived at the diner ten minutes early and sat at their usual booth and waited nervously. Bones was five minutes late and greeted him with a smile.

"Hey," she said taking the seat across from him.

"Hi, Bones. Thanks for coming."

"Is Hannah joining us?" Bones asked hesitantly.

"No, just us today."

"Oh, okay, so what's going on?"

"I just wanted to talk, because we haven't really spent much time together lately. I miss that."

"Me too," Bones said with a sad smile, "I thought that maybe you were going to tell me – never mind."

"Tell you what?" Booth said leaning into the table.

Bones hesitated then said softly, "I thought – I thought you were going to tell me that you and Hannah were going to get married."

Booth looked at her, for a moment stunned into silence then said "What?"

"Just something that Angela said to me when I told her I was meeting you." 

Barely above a whisper, he uttered, "I bought a ring."

Booth watched the news crash over her like a wave, and the knot in his stomach twisted ever more tightly.

"I have to use the bathroom," Bones said hurriedly getting up for her seat.

"Bones!" Boot shouted after her, but she'd already disappeared into the bathroom.

Bones pushed open the door of the diner's bathroom and ran into a stall. After emptying the contents of her stomach into the toilet, she sobbed. She was losing him. Forever. Never before had a decision that she'd made been more irrevocable then the one she'd made last spring when Booth asked her to give them a "shot". Bones considered slipping out the back entrance of diner. Booth would know that she'd been crying, but she supposed she would at least be saved the humiliation of him seeing her physical reaction to his news. No, she would go back to that table after pulling herself together. Compartmentalize, she told herself, knowing that coping mechanism had failed her miserably recently.

Bones splashed some water on her face, took several deep breaths, and emerged from the bathroom. When she returned to the table, Booth quickly rose; his instinct to draw her into an embrace.

Bones shook her head and sat down.

"Bones, I am sorry. I shouldn't have done this here. I -."

"When are you planning to propose to Hannah?" Bones asked, cutting off his apology.

"I'm not," Booth replied with a sigh.

"What?" Bones said.

"I have to know. Have you changed your mind about us, Bones?" Booth said in desperation.

"I won't sacrifice your happiness with Hannah for my own," Bones stated.

"That's love, Bones, putting someone else's happiness first," Booth said with a sigh, "But I'm not happy with Hannah, not in the way I could be with you."

"You don't know that," she muttered.

"Yes, I do," Booth replied resolutely.

"So you would leave Hannah when only a few hours ago you were going to propose marriage to her?"

Booth was speechless. Angela's words came back to him.

"_If you propose to Hannah, you might as well tell Bren that everything you've said in the last six years about love was a lie."_

"I have to get back to work," Bones said with a disappointed sigh.

"No, Bones, please," Booth pled, reaching for her hand "Yes, I would leave Hannah but that doesn't mean I would leave you."

"I have to go," Bones reiterated, wrenching her hand from Booth's grasp and running out the door.

Booth ran out the door after Bones.

"Please, Bones. Please. Say something," Booth said as the cold evening enveloped them.

"What do you want me to say Booth? That every day we were apart I thought about you, worried about you, even dreamed about you? That I came to the reflecting pool filled with hope that I would get a second chance? But it was too late, you came back proudly displaying Hannah's picture, saying your relationship was as serious as a heart attack. Do you want me to say that every loving gesture between you and Hannah felt like I was being kicked in the gut? Is that what you want me to say?" Bones challenged, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Bones," Booth said, tears welling in his eyes as well, "I never meant to hurt you."

Wiping away her tears, she replied, "I know."

Tentatively, Booth wrapped his arms around her, fearing she would pull away. Instead, Bones leaned into his embrace and instinctively, rested her head against Booth's shoulder.

Softly, he whispered in her ear, "Please, Bones, give me another chance."


	3. The Path's End

**A/N: I hope to have the next part posted before Thursday's episode. I have the sinking feeling that I won't feel like writing anything remotely angsty after seeing that episode.**

"_Please, Bones, give me another chance."_

Bones didn't reply right away, rather she savored the feeling of being in Booth's arms before reality set back in. Reluctantly, she pulled away from the embrace. Booth searched her face for any hint of what she was feeling.

Softly Bones said, "You love Hannah. You have a life with her. You wanted to marry her. Why would you give that up?"

Booth opened his mouth to speak the closed it again. It was true. He hadn't expected to love another woman, ever, but he did love Hannah. Or maybe, he just loved _being loved_.

"Every thing I love about Hannah – her fearlessness, her passion for her work – are the things I love about _you_," Booth said, bringing his hands up to frame her face, "But she isn't you, Bones. You're the one. I have known that since the day I walked into that lecture hall seven years ago."

He wanted, desperately, to kiss her, but knew that would only end up with her palms pressing against his chest, pushing them apart.

"Hannah can give you the things you want – a marriage, family, a house with a brown picket fence."

"It's a white picket fence," Booth corrected, "And I don't want that."

Bones looked at him curiously.

More softly, Booth added, "Yeah, I would like all of that, but what I really want is _you_. Marriage or no marriage, family or no family."

Tears slid down Brennan's cheek, and Booth wiped each gently away with his thumb. Bones leaned closer to him and their lips were mere millimeters apart.

"No," she muttered, "You aren't the sort of man who cheats, Booth. I won't be party to damaging your sense of morality. I have to go, Booth."

"Bones -."

"No, Booth. I won't tell you that you have to make a choice. I won't be that person," she said bringing her hand up to hail a cab.

And for the third time in his life, Booth watched Bones ride away, as she watched him from the back of the cab. He swore to himself that this time the outcome would be different. Booth promptly returned to his SUV and drove home to what he knew would be an unpleasant conversation.

"Seeley, where have you been? I was getting worried," Hannah asked when she heard her boyfriend enter their apartment.

"Sorry," Booth said then paused, "Hannah, we need to talk."

"No good conversation ever began that way," Hannah said sadly.

Booth sighed, "I guess I should start at the beginning."

And he did. Booth told Hannah about his first case with Bones, the partnership that ensued a year later, and how he spent five years in love with her, and how their relationship culminated in Bones' rejection of his offer at a relationship and their parting ways to Afghanistan and Indonesia.

"So, I was the rebound girl?" Hannah scoffed.

"No, you weren't –"

"I get it, Seeley. I'm the second choice. I don't want to be anyone's second choice."

"I know. You deserve to be someone's first and only choice," Booth replied.

"Like Temperance is for you," Hannah stated, saying the words Booth was thinking.

"You could have at least had the decency to tell me about your history with her. I gave up a lot to be here – with you, Seeley."

"I know. Hannah, I am so sorry. I thought -," Booth paused.

What did he think? That he could live happily ever after with Hannah? That he wouldn't have spent the rest of life wondering"what if"?

"I'll be gone in an hour," Hannah stated, not waiting for Booth to finish his thought.

"No, stay the night here. I can spend the night with –."

"With Temperance?" Hannah interjected bitterly, "No, I will pack my things and go."

Booth just nodded, knowing that his continued apologies were worthless. Hannah was true to her word and had her few belonging packed in less than an hour.

"Bye Seeley. I hope it works out with Temperance. I really do," she said as she walked out the door.

By the time Booth thought of a suitable reply, Hannah was out the door and out of his life. Booth grabbed his coat and walked out the door a few minutes later. He drove a route that he once took nearly every day of his life. With a hopeful heart, Booth ascended the steps to Brennan's apartment. Apprehensively, he rapped softly on her door.

As Bones opened the door a crack, Booth inhaled sharply, "Can I come in?"


	4. The Road Less Traveled By

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. This chapter started to take on a life of its own. I hope that the resolution doesn't seem to "easy" or OOC. I needed some happiness after last night's episode (which I thought was very well done). I am considering writing a sequel to this, so if you'd be interested in reading more let me know! Oh, and for the purposes of this story/chapter, the events of the Doctor in the Photo never happened.**

**Chapter Title is inspired by "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost.**

"_Can I come in?"_

Wordlessly, Bones opened the door three quarters of the way, allowing Booth to enter. He crossed her threshold, acutely aware that it has been quite some time since he'd done so without Hannah on his arm.

"Would you like something to drink?" Bones asked.

"No, I'm fine, thanks," Booth replied.

Bones retreated to the kitchen, presumably to get herself a drink. Booth wondered if she still had his favorite beer in her fridge. He hoped she didn't. He hated the idea that she was somehow waiting for him, although that was just what she'd been doing.

"Sit down," Bones instructed when she returned with a glass of wine and Booth was still standing.

Booth did as he was told. For a moment, Booth and Bones just looked at one another in silence.

Booth broke the silence, "I ended it with Hannah. She's gone."

Bones nodded hesitantly, "I'm sorry that she had to get hurt."

"So am I. I never intended to hurt her or you," Booth said placing emphasis on his last word.

"I know," she muttered not quite meeting Booth's eye.

"Bones, hurting you was the last thing I ever wanted to do, but I know that I did. I will do anything to make that up to you. I understand it will take time for you to trust me again."

Bones brought her eyes to Booth's level and earnestly said, "I never stopped trusting you, Booth."

Booth looked at her beautiful blue eyes. They say the eyes are the window to the soul, and Booth thought that was certainly true in Bones' case.

Booth shook his head, "I broke a promise to you. I told you I would always be there for you, and I wasn't."

Bones chewed on her lower lip, not knowing how to reply.

Finally finding the words, she said, "I never expected that you'd find someone you cared about so quickly."

Booth sighed and raked his fingers through his hair, "When we said goodbye at the airport, I thought – I don't what I thought – that something would happen, I guess. It didn't, and I didn't hear from you the entire time. I guess I assumed that it was _me_ you were running away from rather than murder and sadness."

Bones opened her mouth to refute his claim then closed it. She had been running away from Booth, or at least the strong feelings she felt for him, and ironically, it had the opposite effect.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, "I was afraid of getting hurt. I was afraid that if it didn't work out, I'd have lost my best friend."

"Oh, Bones. You could never lose me," Booth said taking her hand and squeezing it tightly.

"I almost did," Bones said in a barely audible voice.

Booth didn't know how to reply. It was true. He had created space between himself and Bones in an effort to make his relationship with Hannah work.

"Remember how when we first met, I told you that I had a gambling problem?" Booth asked abruptly.

"Yes," Bones replied skeptically.

"You asked me why I felt I had to tell you that. Do you remember my answer?"

"You said that you thought "this" was going somewhere."

Booth nodded and leaned in closer to Bones, "I never told Hannah about my gambling history."

"I don't understand."

Booth resisted the urge to laugh, "I didn't tell Hannah about my previous gambling problem, because I never thought it was going anywhere."

Bones looked at him wide-eyed.

"In Afghanistan, I enjoyed her company. I cared about her, but I never expected to see her again. Then, I was home, and she showed up."

"But you asked her to move in with you. You said you loved her. You almost asked her to marry you," Bones challenged.

"Yes, I did all of those things. I saw an opportunity for happiness, even if it wasn't exactly how I wanted it to happen, and I took it. I never stopped loving you, Bones. You are the one."

Bones eyes glistened with tears.

"Last spring, I made a mistake. I didn't fight for us. I couldn't see past my hurt," Booth said, "But we're worth fighting for. I love you, Temperance, just as you are."

Booth so seldom used her real name that is sounded strange to Bones' ears.

"I love you too," Bones said softly.

Booth smiled, his eyes clouded with unshed tears. He wrapped his arms around Bones and held her tightly to his chest.

"I'll give you as much time as you need," he whispered.

Bones nodded into his shoulder.

"I want things to get back to normal – but better," Booth said.

Bones pulled away from him slightly, recalling another rocky time in their friendship.

"We're the center," she said.

Booth smiled, "Yes, we are. I want you to be the center of my life again, Bones."

Bones leaned against him, allowing Booth to once again envelope her in a loving embrace. They held one another for quite some time. Then they just talked about everything and anything, delighting in one another's company. When Bones yawned, Booth made a note of the time: 1:30 AM.

"You should get to bed, Bones. Breakfast at the diner in the morning?" he said with a grin.

"No, don't leave," Bones replied quickly.

Booth looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"I want you here when I wake up, so I know this wasn't a dream," she said wistfully.

"Bones, I don't think we should -."

"No, I don't mean I want us to have sex. Well, I do, but I just would like to wake up next to you in the morning."

Booth smiled, his whole face seeming to light up, "I would like that too, Bones."

He leaned in and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips that left them both longing for more. But Booth wasn't going to mess this up, not this time.

"I am going to wash up and change," Bones announced, "You can go into the bedroom if you want."

_You can go into the bedroom if you want._

Booth had waited seven years to hear those words, or some permutation of them, even if this wasn't exactly the correct context. He crossed the threshold of her bedroom and sat down on her bed, bouncing his knee nervously. When Bones emerged from the bathroom, Booth rose to his feet. She wore a tee shirt, pajama pants, and no makeup; yet he thought she'd never looked more beautiful.

"You're beautiful," Booth said dreamily, prompting Bones' cheeks to turn a bright shade of crimson.

"Um, are you planning on sleeping in your jeans? I imagine that would be quite uncomfortable."

Booth laughed. He has considered taking them off, but thought that might be presumptuous. He wanted to let Bones set the tone for the evening.

"I have seen you in your boxers before, Booth," Bones remarked.

"Yeah, I know," Booth said, mentally recalling that particular incident, "This just seems different."

"Oh, do you mean you are afraid you'll become sexually aroused?"

Booth chuckled, "That's my girl. Never beats around the bush. I will take off my jeans if that is okay."

"Of course," Bones said, climbing into bed.

After removing his jeans, Booth quickly joined Bones under the covers. They laid on their sides, facing one another. Booth rested his palm on her cheek, savoring the soft skin beneath his fingers.

"You look exhausted."

"I haven't been sleeping well," Bones replied.

Booth felt a pang in his stomach, knowing that he had contributed to her insomnia.

"Close your eyes, baby," he said soothingly.

Bones rested her head on Booth shoulder and said sleepily, "Don't call me baby."

Booth smiled to himself, "Good night, Bones. I'll be here when you wake up – for as long as you'll let me, I'll be here. I love you."

The last words Bones heard before drifting off to sleep were "I love you," and she thought she could certainly grow accustomed to hearing them every night for the rest of her life.

Booth just watched his partner sleep, listening to her even breathes and watching the rise and fall of her chest. Without disturbing her, he reached for his cell phone. He searched his contacts for his favorite artist and typed a two word text message.

"_Thank you."_


End file.
